team coffee monsters

5 October 2016

The term “coffee addiction” is a bit of an understatement for me. The average human is roughly 60% water, I’m pretty sure I’m at least 60% coffee. I’ve never met a cup of coffee I didn’t like. Which is, apparently, an inherited trait since my offspring feels the same way. He’s always loved making my coffee in the mornings (coffee grinders make exciting noises!) but started asking to share with me a few months ago (“Your want to share your coffee with me, Mama?”). Thinking he’d hate it (I drink it black and strong) and since I was on decaf only at that point, I said sure. But then he liked it. A LOT. And now I’ve created a 3-year-old coffee monster. He requests more Starbucks stops than I do, and that’s saying something. But at least now know I for sure he’s my child.

our usual morning:Saurus: Your want to share your coffee?Me: No. But you can have one sip.Saurus: Maybe two sips.Me: Fine. Two sips.Saurus: Mmmm…so yummy coffee!Me: This is ridiculous.Saurus: How about 5 sips?Me: Negative. One more only.Saurus, gulping coffee: Oops! Drank it all! Sorry, Mama!Me: We have issues, Saurus.Saurus: Yup.

But Team Coffee Monsters also come up with some pretty great things with which to enjoy our morning fuel. Like these apple pie scones. Which are amazing and can be made one-handed by a mama or two-handed by a toddler. All of my recipes now have to pass the “can I do this while holding a baby” test and I’m so happy to report that scones make the cut (as long as you have the apples sliced beforehand. I do not advocate knives in combinations with newborns). If you wanted to do these scones correctly and using proper baking methods, I’d imagine that would turn out even better and probably look cuter but the busy-mama-approved version is incredible so I’ll go with it.

I love these topped with caramel sauce, especially my apple cider caramel sauce (recipe below), but pretty much any kind will do, including the coffee syrup kind….let’s just say that recipe testing was very thorough

1/2 C raw sugar (regular is fine, I just like the raw kind) + more for topping, if desired

1 stick (1/2 C) butter, frozen

1/2 C buttermilk + more for topping, if desired

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla bean paste (vanilla extract is also fine, I just default to the paste since I like it better)

1 large apple, peeled and diced

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400F

Dump flour, baking powder, spices, sugar, and a stick of frozen butter into a food processor. Pulse until crumbly.

Add buttermilk, egg, and vanilla to food processor and pulse just until dough comes together. Try not to over-do it.

Fold in diced apple.

Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet. If you'd like to go the extra mile here, brush the tops with a bit of buttermilk and sprinkle liberally with raw sugar. This will give the tops that extra crunch.

Bake at 400F for 20 minutes or until edges are crisp.

Eat immediately, with or without apple cider caramel sauce

Notes

Better baking method: Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, then grate in frozen butter. Whip together wet ingredients in a separate bowl then carefully fold into the dry with the apple, just until combined. Roll out dough into a 1-inch thick rectange and slice into triangles, then place on baking sheet and top with buttermilk and sugar. Not one-handed, but will give them even more of that great fluffy-on-the-inside-crispy-on-the-outside scone texture.

Storage: Scones are best straight out of the oven but if you're not going to eat them right away, put them in the freezer after they're cool, and then re-heat in the oven (5 mins at 400F)